Page 137 - 2024 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

10 ｜ Social Assistance and Social Work

Table 10-4 Table of Social Worker Labor Complaints
Data period: March 31, 2018 – December 31, 2023

Number of Number of % of Investigated Illegal Occupations
Reasons for Complaint
Cases (A) Violations (B) in Complaint Cases (B/A)
Incomplete Salary Payment 53 24 45%
Working Hours Dispute 18 9 50%
Other Labor Disputes 26 3 12%
Total of the Closed Cases 97 36 37%

Section 2 Manpower Allocation and and institutions) of municipal and local governments
were subsidized to adopt measures for protecting
Utilization for Social Workers
To maximize the workforce efficiency of social the personal safety of social workers, including
workers through nationwide workforce coordination, facilities and equipment, graded sources for in-
in 2018 the EY rolled the "Plan to Local Government service education/training, emotional support, stress
Social Worker Workforce Allocation and Employment management, mental health, assault support, and
Augmentation Plan" into the "Strengthening Social practice safety insurance fees. NTD 9,456,000
Safety Net Program" and continued implementation. in subsidies were given to 44 projects in 2023. In
Phase 2 of "Strengthening Social Safety Net Program" addition, group insurance for social workers was
was approved on July 29, 2021. It is expected that by launched on July 1, 2019, while subsidizing social
2025, 9,908 social workers and other professionals will workers' insurance premiums for private organizations.
be recruited. A total of 5,352 social workers were insured in 2023.
In 2023, we approved the funding for relevant
expenses of local governments, requiring a workforce Chapter 3 Community and Links to
of 6,199 individuals. As of the end of 2023, there were Other Resources
a total of 5,452 social workers. The overall employment Communities are the microcosm as well as
rate was therefore 87.9%. bedrock of society. At the MOHW, community
development aims at empowering community residents
Section 3 Occupational Safety of Social
to discover common needs and offer local care and
Workers services based on the available resources. In recent
To strengthen the occupational safety of social years, volunteerism has become a trend. Besides
workers, Article 19-1 was added to the Social Worker serving people, it helps build self-assurance and self-
Act, following the provisions of medical laws. It growth and enhance social linkage. We regularly
stipulates that no person shall obstruct social workers implement the evaluation, survey, research, education
from performing their duties through violence, coercion, and training, encouragement, and commendation
intimidation, public insults, or other illegal means, and of volunteerism, hoping to motivate more people to
relevant criminal penalties were introduced. It is also engage in volunteerism. We constantly enhance the
clearly stated that the institutions, organizations, or transparency of charity donations destined for social
offices to which social workers belong shall ensure welfare funds and enforce social accountability through
their occupational safety and provide necessary public supervision to promote social welfare and
security measures. If legal proceedings are involved protect the rights and interests of donors. We set up
due to harm, necessary legal assistance shall be the 1957 Social Welfare Consultation Hotline to provide
provided to protect their safety. The amendments were a single contact person that will give information to
promulgated and implemented on June 9, 2023. citizens experiencing hardships, as well as offering a
The Ministry promotes the "Social Worker convenient channel for reporting and referral. It takes
Personal Safety Protection Program" with funds a single phone call to access information regarding
from the Public Welfare Lottery. The social welfare welfare as well as relevant services, reporting and
departments (bureaus, including social welfare NGOs referral.

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